CHANGE AND INSTITUTIONAL CULTURE And Academic Libraries 1

CHANGE AND INSTITUTIONAL CULTURE

And Academic Libraries

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Forces Driving Change

Stakeholder demands- accountability & transparency

Technology Open access/ scholarly communication/

publishing Budget constraints Staffing

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Definition of a Library

Library as collection (of resources) Library as building or space Library as function (organization of

information) Library as service- supporting role in the

context of the organization

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Change in Libraries4

Competition we are facing, for the first time as a

profession, competition. competitors are using the ubiquity of the

Internet to market and deliver information directly to users, bypassing the library

Perception everything is on the Internet everything on the Internet is free

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Change in Libraries

As a result of competition and perception, the library is transitioning to become more customer focused

Change must be managed through the planning, organizing, human resources management, and coordination/control functions

Not so much that core purpose of libraries is changing, but there is a shifting emphasis on relative importance of various aspects

LIS 451 Hernon and Dugan 6

Macro Changes in Libraries

From passive housing and storage of materials

Access to information via new technologies

Active agency providing information services to users

Developing services based on information collections in all formats



From focus on doing things that best fit internal traditions

Focus on need to keep customers satisfied librarians must

understand user expectation and attitudes

users expect to access information and interact with the library 24/7/365

attitudes include less willingness to accept a lack of quality from libraries; they can now “go elsewhere”



From the organizational culture of “that’s the way we have always done it”

Focusing on continuing improvement and learning

Organizational Understanding and Cultural Sensitivity

Managing Change9

LIS 451Hernon and Dugan

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Institutional Culture

Is the set of values, norms, standards, philosophies, and ideologies that characterize that institution—that is, what people value, believe in, and consider admirable in the institution

The behavior and shared expectations that influences the way in which individuals, groups and teams interact with each other and cooperate to achieve goals


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Examples of culture: dress code staff social interaction outside of the library the manner in which staff is addressed

internally (first name; title, etc.)


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Elements of the culture symbols, such as the arrangement of office space

(walls or cubicles; arrangement of the space) group norms, such as a meeting starting on time

(or not) slogans, such as phrases found in mission

statements and signage (customer service oriented)

myths and stories, usually introduced to new staff to reinforce current or past values

ceremonies, such as annual rituals.


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Institutional culture is often the cause of inflexibility in institutions members can be expected to resist change

that force them to abandon established and approved ways of doing things; “we have always done it that way.”


Organizational Culture14

Different cultures within the larger organization

Across departments and divisions Within departments and divisions

i.e. differences between reference, cataloging, circ, etc.

The organization’s culture may, or may not be the same as the institution’s culture.

What characterizes our libraries?


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Organizational Environment

Is a set of forces and conditions inside and outside of the organization that have potential to affect the way the organization operates


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External environment set of forces that have profound effects on the

internal environment: competitors perceptions of the library

stereotypes of both librarians and library costs for services provided especially

when the Internet is “free” legal; political; technological; environment;

economic; sociocultural; demographic etc. external environment often outside the

influence of the organization


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Internal environment of libraries include: library principles

all things to all people library’s organizational culture allocated resources the condition of the infrastructure

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CHANGE AND INSTITUTIONAL CULTURE And Academic Libraries 1